


Don't Bring a Gun to a Knife Fight

by astrophysicist_not_princess



Category: All Time Low (Band)
Genre: Band, Fluff, Jalex - Freeform, Knife Kink, M/M, Music, Swords, all time low - Freeform, also some making out, and homoerotic stabbies, atl jalex, bandfic, content warning for sword fighting, i have a hyperfixation on stabby things, might as well y'know?, so please excuse the graphic depictions of stabbing, stabbies meaning knives, sword au I suppose??, sword-size or otherwise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 12:55:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29314425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astrophysicist_not_princess/pseuds/astrophysicist_not_princess
Summary: Literally just sword practice but gayer.
Relationships: Jack Barakat/Alex Gaskarth
Kudos: 5





	Don't Bring a Gun to a Knife Fight

**Author's Note:**

> This contains swords, depictions of various ways to stab/dispatch people, fighting, play-fighting, and mild threatening. Please take care, lovelies.

"Two hands, Barakat!" The instructor called out, taking two strikes of the sword and a slight turn to pull the sword out of his slightly younger student's hand by the grip.

The poor boy with the stripe in his hair looked baffled, his ego only taken a few easy parries from his best friend to fall from its high place, it seemed, though his self-confidence was in much better shape somehow. "Alex, I-"

"I know. Try again, alright? Two. Hands," Alex gave his student his sword back, demonstrating a proper hold as he walked backwards to the proper distance. "Ready?"

"Uhm-"

"Dodge up," The instructor swiped the sword down towards his student from above, slower than his usual attack, watching Jack frantically shift into the right positioning, two hands on the hilt, knees slightly bent. "There you go! See? Much stronger. Now we just have to fix the fidgety hands, yeah?"

"I did it!!" Jack was jumping up and down, not hearing most of what his teacher had said beyond the praise.

"You did!" Alex laughed amicably, wanting him to smile like that more because of him, "A couple more hours and we might be able to properly fight,"

"I will never pass up an opportunity to kick your ass. Gimme what you've got, Gaskarth!" The taller grinned, clearly ready to keep learning

\---

"Fuck." Jack swore just before his longsword clattered and skimmed across the lightly padded flooring.

"No, no, you were doing good! Just brace the other side next time, alright?" Alex grinned, proud of his work. He guessed right, it only took a few hours to get Jack accustomed to using a longsword. Even if it was a lighter weight training sword. "Let's try that one more time and then you can try to fight me, alright?" Alex hands his student the sword, their gloves brushing lightly in passing. To anyone else, the moment was never going to be one of note, but for Jack, time stopped for a second, his own thoughts and hopes swirling around him, an endless feedback loop of respect and adoration.

Alex felt it too but showed no sign of his heart rate picking up as he stood back. "Ready?"

"Ready!" Jack shook his little daze off his shoulders and got into the proper stance, trying to predict his now-adversary's next movement. A swing right and he sees a couple of sparks fly off the blade of his sword as he deflects the blow almost perfectly. Alex, however, is nearly knocked on his stomach, but still grinning like an idiot.

"I didn't teach you that part yet! Good job, for a beginner, Barakat," He dusts off his stomach and sides, leaving the sword where it was for the time being. Jack pouted at him, just making the blonde roll his eyes and nod. "Yes, we're taking a water break before you 'kick my ass,'" He made sure to do air quotes, just to see him pout adorably. The kind of pout that makes a person want to kiss it away.

Jack meandered over to his water bottle on the bench, already sore and winded. It was a long practice but he liked it. The time spent with someone he loves- platonic or otherwise- really made everything else worth it. To him, all that he had left to learn was how to beat Alex in a swordfight, which was incredibly wrong, but a good thought for a first goal.

When the pair were finally both ready, Alex showed Jack which tape marks on the floor meant what distances, how to tap out, and the table and two benches packed into a corner that they were to avoid at all costs. And then the battle was at showtime, the teacher and student standing just close enough to tap swords.

"Ready: 3, 2, 1, fight!" The teacher called out, going about half-speed for his best friend. Jack parried every blow just as he was taught, the look of concentration and focus etching lines across his face. Alex kicks it up a little, speeding up his attacks slightly, and grinning as Jack dodged most of them, even at a medium speed. The taller boy had even gotten a good stab in edgewise, which is where Alex surrendered and stepped forward to critique his form.

\---

"Jack?"

"Yeah, Gaskarth?" 

"I know you're tired, but can we try one more match?"

Jack sighed and stood up, a smile gracing his lips. "Yeah, let's do this."

"Perfect! I'm going to go full throttle on you, alright? Let's see how you do," Alex was grinning like an idiot, a borrowed practice sword swinging lightly on his hip, fully encased in a strong leather sheath. "Now, remember, tap out when you need or want to, and tell me if there's an issue. Got it?"

"Loud and clear. Fight me, you dick."

Alex giggled at the comment and raised his sword again. "Ready: 3, 2, 1, fight!" Alex started by faking him out to the left, taking a right-facing swing for his student's side, only just missing him as he moved. Jack deflected a good amount of them, but once Alex was in the zone, his attacks had fewer imperfections, making Jack lose his sword rather quickly. But a hop, skip, and a jump later, he was pressed into a wall, sword pressed to his throat lightly.

Alex's swords were all dulled down for practicing, but his Jack started shaking all the same once the sword lightly indented the skin stretched over his windpipe. Alex was completely cool, Jack panting lightly, both boys' defensive positions relaxed slightly as they searched each others' faces. Jack clenched and unclenched his wrists and arms in intervals, not sure what to do with his hands and arms besides attempt to brace onto the wall. There was a silent understanding that Alex had won the match, especially considering where his sword was. If they'd been in a real battle, Jack would've been bleeding by now, but neither boy wanted that. A comfortable (though tense) silence befell them, a slight lean forward on Alex's part causing the light to shift in his eyes as Jack scanned them, a fleck of gold appearing where the taller boy had never noticed one before. Alex was watching his fighting partner as well, noticing the slight dilation of his pupils, and the tenseness of his muscles, attempting to pull away from the dull sword.

"Here's the part where I would stab you, I think..." Alex broke the silence, flickering his gentle gaze down towards his best friend's lips as he leaned in a little more, "But would a kiss suffice instead?"

The taller boy nods, careful enough to keep the blade at a comfortable depth of his skin, and that sword goes clattering across the ground, tossed away in favor of picking Jack up and pressing their lips together lightly. A small jolt of lightning went through the pair, Jack's arms coming up 'round Alex's neck to pull him closer and kiss him again. This time, they didn't pull apart until the younger boy was out of breath and lightly gasping for air around his best friend's mouth, their bodies moulded together as if they'd been made for each other.

Who knows what else happened that night? Only the pair could tell, and the knowing smile they give each other when telling the story tells far less than they know, but one thing is always made clear when the pair address their first "date", their confession, their... Well, their everything, to be perfectly frank. Alex always kicks Jack's ass at sword-fighting.


End file.
